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Alex shootings: 'They will be behind bars - Premier David Makhura says gunmen will be arrested soon

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Several taxi drivers gather outside Alexandra Police Station where Premier David Makhura was addressing residents following the killing of five people.
Several taxi drivers gather outside Alexandra Police Station where Premier David Makhura was addressing residents following the killing of five people.
Ntwaagae Seleka
  • Gauteng police are looking for gunmen who killed five people and injured five others in Alexandra.
  • One of the victims was Alex FM presenter and music manager, Joshua Mbatha.
  • Premier David Makhura said police were on the verge of arresting the gunmen.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has assured Alexandra residents that police are on the verge of arresting the gunmen who killed five people and injured five others during a shooting spree that started on Wednesday night.

As a result, five people, including Alex FM presenter and music manager Joshua Mbatha, were killed and five others were injured.

Makhura gave an assurance that authorities were hot on the heels of the perpetrators.

"This is a localised gang. They moved from one section to the other, terrorising the community," Makhura told the media at the Alexandra police station, following the arrival of Police Minister Bheki Cele.

"They will be behind bars by the time we leave here. We need [more] police enforcement in our province where there have been problems," Makhura added.

He applauded Alexandra residents for giving the police information that could assist them in making the arrests.

"Detectives are acting on it (the information). They will be behind bars. 

Joshua Mbatha posing at Alex FM station offices
Alex FM presenter and music manager Joshua 'Jorontinah' Mbatha was fatally shot on Thursday.

"The five injured victims have been admitted to Charlotte Maxeke and Edenvale hospitals," the premier said.

Outside the police station, a group of taxi drivers attempted to burn tyres and called for the arrest of the gunmen, but police stopped them. It is believed that one of the victims was a taxi driver.

Johannesburg district commissioner Major General Max Masha addressed the drivers and called for calm.

Masha promised the drivers that officers were searching for the killers.

"We have mobilised all our resources to ensure that [the perpetrators] will be removed from society.

"I assure you that they will be arrested very soon," Masha said.


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